Correspondence with English poet and Persian scholar Dick Davis. Topics include: Davis's submission of poems to Poetry Nation; the possibility of some of his poems being included in a Carcanet anthology (/2-4 and /6); the reception and sales of his book In the distance (Anvil, 1975) - including encouragement received from Thom Gunn and Edgar Bowers (/2-3, /6, /8, /12 and /15); Davis's thoughts on the work of Yvor Winters and Wittgenstein, and an essay on the subject completed for PN Review (/3-8 and /11-/12); an essay on [Cesare] Pavese sent for Schmidt's consideration (/5-6, /8 and /13); the possibility of Davis undertaking an edition of the work of Traherne [which he ultimately did for Carcanet's Fyfield series in 1980] (/6, /8 and /11-13); Schmidt's invitation to Davis to publish a book of poems with Carcanet (/8); Davis's admiration for Housman and plans for an essay on Housman's work (/8, /11, /12 and /17); his comments on Schmidt's My brother Gloucester (/13), and Ten English poets anthology (/17); Davis's friendship with fellow poets Clive Wilmer and Robert Wells; Davis's conservative taste in poetry and his thoughts on the work of Donald Davie (/8); comments on the work of various other poets, including C.H. Sisson and Douglas Dunn; his thoughts on Spanish and Persian literature; and the possibility of his work being published in Critical Quarterly. In /2 Davis supplies some biographical details.
The file contains typescript poems by Davis as follows: 'Zuleikha' (/10); "The old man lingers at the edge of death..." (/13); 'Mozart and Wagner in Hades' (/19); 'Ignorance' (/20); and 'Me, You' (/21).
Dated at: Tehran, Iran.
Holograph and typescript.